The SEC’s Office of Credit Ratings is exploring how it can address conflicts of interest in ratings of MBS and ABS. An increase in performance-related disclosures and boosting unsolicited ratings are being considered.

Investor demand for MBS and ABS is high but then uncertainty is also increasing, which could prompt more issuance earlier in the year.

The Federal Reserve’s 2020 stress tests will examine certain large banks’ ability to weather severe shocks in the leveraged lending market.

The coronavirus outbreak may strike little-known pandemic bonds issued by the World Bank in 2017. Travel restrictions in response to the outbreak may also impact ABS backed by aircraft leases.

The Structured Finance Association has brushed aside concerns that CLOs backed by leveraged loans pose a systemic risk to the economy.

Banks will no longer have to meet extensive disclosure requirements for their MBS deals to receive investor-friendly protections. The change was met with criticism from an Obama appointee to the FDIC’s board.

A $175 million prime auto ABS issued by GTE Federal Credit Union in November was the first rated ABS issued by a credit union. Other deals are likely to follow thanks to revisions made by the NCUA.

To avoid retaining risk in securitization deals, mortgage lenders are joining hands with investors who act as “co-sponsors” and take on the first-loss position.

Issuance of aircraft-related ABS is expected to shoot up in the coming years but industry analysts are warning about potential performance issues. Fitch said it’s taking a cautious approach to rating new deals.

The Structured Finance Association has launched a task force to help the industry incorporate environmental, social and corporate governance practices into the issuance of MBS and ABS.